Acts 18

Acts 18:1-11

53. PAUL’S AT CORINTH Acts 18:1-11 Corinth was a large seaport city. It was the commercial meeting place of the East and the West. On one side of the city there was a port to the Ionian Sea, on the other side a port to the Aegean Sea. As Athens was the intellectual center of the ancient Greek world, Corinth was the economic center. It was famous for its spectacular bronze and infamous for its sensuality. In the temple of Venus at Corinth there were over 1000 prostitutes to be hired by the many travellers who passed through the city.

It was to this materialistic, idolatrous, perverse city that Paul came preaching the gospel of Christ. Timothy and Silas were still in Macedonia. Paul came to Corinth alone. He had no companion, but his Heavenly Companion. He had no friend with him, but the Friend of Sinners whom he had come to proclaim. In these eleven verses the Spirit of God teaches us six very important lessons.

1. GOD’S ARE NOT (Acts 18:1-4). Though trained as a scholar at the feet of Gamaliel, and though he was an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, when Paul came to Corinth to preach the gospel he earned his living by making tents. Aquila and Priscilla were Jewish believers who were also tent makers. They received Paul into their home and into their business. Tent making at the time was a common trade. Yet, it was a noble trade. As Matthew Henry wrote, “An honest trade, by which a man may get his bread, is not to be looked upon by any with contempt.” Why did Paul work as a tent maker? Many point to Paul as an excuse for being stingy with God’s servants, suggesting that those who preach the gospel should not live by the gospel. Such an attitude is contrary to the plain teachings of the New Testament. God has ordained that every man who faithfully labors in the work of the gospel ministry should live by the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:6-14; Galatians 6:6; 1 Timothy 5:17). Individual believers, deacons, and local churches should make it their business to see to it that those men who faithfully preach the gospel (pastors, missionaries, evangelists) lack for nothing materially. Those who give themselves to the work of the ministry are worthy of financial support.

They should never have to ask for anything. In a local church deacons should make certain that the pastor has no earthly, material concern, so that he may give himself entirely to study, prayer, and preaching (Acts 6:2-4). Paul made tents at Corinth because there was no church established among the Corinthians to maintain him. The churches at Jerusalem and Antioch should have assumed that responsibility, but for some reason did not; and Paul refused to ask for help. Being the servant of God, he would not stoop to begging for the help of men! And rather than give the appearance of greed, the Apostle chose to labor with his hands while he preached the gospel to the unbelieving (2 Corinthians 11:7-8; 2 Thessalonians 3:8-9).

However, once they were converted, Paul clearly taught the Corinthian believers to generously support those who preached the gospel (1 Corinthians 9; 2 Corinthians 8, 9). Though he labored with his hands through the week, Paul preached the gospel freely to the Jews every sabbath day. He reasoned with them from the Old Testament Scriptures, showing that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ (Acts 18:4-5; Genesis 49:10; Deuteronomy 18:15; Psalms 132:11; Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 53:1-12; Jeremiah 23:5-6). 2. MEN NEED THE AND OF OTHER MEN. Paul seems to have gotten a little discouraged; but when Timothy and Silas finally arrived at Corinth (Acts 18:5), they seem to have given him the boost he needed. The fact is, we all need other people. Pastors need one another’s encouragement. Believers need one another’s encouragement. We should always strengthen one another’s arms in the service of Christ. 3. THE CURSE GOD CAN EVER BRING UPON ANY PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD IS TO REMOVE FROM THEM THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL. That is what is described in Acts 18:6. Because the Jews willfully rejected the counsel of God against themselves, God took his counsel from them and sent his Word to the Gentiles (Matthew 22:8-9; Matthew 23:37-38; Romans 11:22). What a warning is here given! Those who trifle with and oppose the gospel of Christ court divine reprobation (Proverbs 1:22-33). Those who oppose God’s messengers oppose God (Matthew 10:40). All who despise and reject the gospel of Christ bring ruin upon themselves. Their damnation will be their own fault. Their blood will be upon their own heads (Acts 20:26; Ezekiel 33:8-9). 4. THE GOD CAN EVER BESTOW UPON ANY PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD IS TO SEND THEM A MAN WHO WILL PREACH THE GOSPEL OF HIS FREE AND GRACE IN CHRIST TO THEM (Acts 18:7-8). The Jews despised Paul’s message and despised him for preaching it. But there was a man named Justus who opened his house to Paul and turned it into a preaching center. The fact is, all who love the gospel, love those who preach it and do what they can to accommodate it. Paul had seen little response to his message at Athens and had met with great opposition at Corinth, but he was faithful.

God always honors faithfulness (1 Samuel 2:30). At the time appointed, God began calling out his elect at Corinth: first Justus; then Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue; then his household; then many of the Corinthians. Notice the order of events in Acts 18:8. It is important. This is God’s method of grace. First, the gospel was preached.

Second, many who heard believed. Third, those who believed were baptized. According to the pattern and the precept of the New Testament, baptism is for believers only (Acts 7:37). No infants were ever baptized because their parents were believers, only believers themselves. Believers follow Christ in baptism because he commands it (Mark 16:15-16). By baptism we identify ourselves with Christ and his people, confess our faith in him, and renounce our former religion as darkness and idolatry (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:4-6). 5. GOD HAS A GREAT OF CHOSEN SINNERS IN THIS WORLD WHOM HE WILL SAVE BY THE OF THE GOSPEL (Acts 18:9-10). The fear of man must never stop the mouths of God’s servants (Jeremiah 1:8-10). The Lord appeared to Paul in a vision and encouraged him to faithfully continue preaching the gospel at Corinth, assuring him of three things: THE OF GOD - “I am with thee;” THE OF GOD - “No man shall set on thee to hurt thee;” and THE PURPOSE OF GOD - “I have much people in this city.” The inspiration God gave Paul for evangelism at Corinth was the certain salvation of his elect. All who were chosen in eternity and redeemed at Calvary must be called at God’s appointed time; and he will call them through the voice of a gospel preacher (Romans 10:17; 1 Peter 1:23-25). 6. GOD’S SEEK AND FOLLOW HIS (Acts 18:11). Having his orders from God, Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and six months. He remained there seeking the Lord’s sheep (John 10:16) and establishing the church in the doctrine of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-16). Though he was a resident preacher at Corinth, the Apostle continued to serve the church of God at large. Both I and II Thessalonians were written while Paul was at Corinth. Let all who worship God pray for, support, and be obedient to their faithful, God ordained pastors (Read 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 and Hebrews 13:7; Hebrews 13:17).

Acts 18:12-28

54. APOLLOS - THE ORATOR Acts 18:12-28 In the passage before us we have a hurried account of the last part of Paul’s second missionary journey and the beginning of his third. We follow the Apostle from Corinth to Ephesus, from Ephesus to Jerusalem, and from Jerusalem back to Antioch. After spending some time in Antioch, he visited the churches of Galatia and Phrygia. Then he went back to Ephesus, where chapter 19 begins. That is a lot of territory to cover in nineteen verses! We want to say, “Wait, Luke.

Tell us more. What happened at Cenchrea? How did Phoebe, that lady in the Cenchrean church, win the praise Paul bestowed upon her in Romans 16:1-2? What happened while Paul was at Jerusalem, Antioch, Galatia, and Phrygia?” There must have been many interesting events in those places. But Luke chose to omit all the details. He appears to have been anxious to introduce us to the next scene in the history of the early church and to a man who impressed him greatly, Apollos, the Alexandrian orator.

Luke was moved by the Holy Spirit to introduce this man to us with deeper respect and admiration than he used to present any other man in the Book of Acts (Acts 18:24-25). Apollos is set before us as an example of christian character, whose faith and faithfulness should be followed (Hebrews 13:7; Hebrews 13:17). However, before Apollos is introduced, Luke was directed to give some account of Paul’s journey from Corinth to Antioch for our instruction. THE TYPICAL (Acts 18:12-17) - Wherever Paul went preaching the gospel he met with persecution. God restrained the malice of his enemies at Corinth for a while; but in time he allowed the venom of the old serpent, satan, to spue out against his servant, “and the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul” (Acts 18:12-13). Our King James Version reads “This fellow”, but the Jews did not say that. The word “fellow” was added by the translators. The Jews said with disgust, “This …!” They had no word evil enough to describe their opinion of God’s messenger. Acts 18:14-15 - Gallio should not have allowed the Gentiles to beat Sosthenes. As a civil magistrate it was his responsibility to protect all. However, he is to be commended in the fact that he refused to hear the charges brought against Paul. It is not the business of civil courts to make rules or judgments in matters regarding the free exercise of religion. Acts 18:16-17 - Crispus, who was the ruler of the synagogue, had been converted by the grace of God (Acts 18:8). Sosthenes was elected to take his place. Sosthenes, who had come to Gallio to have Paul beaten, was himself beaten with the stripes he had hoped to inflict upon Paul. Many a Haman has been hanged on the gallows he built for the hanging of God’s faithful Mordicais. By these events at Corinth the Holy Spirit teaches two lessons emphatically. First, THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST IS TO LOST MEN. The plain declaration of redemption by Christ and salvation by grace alone through faith in him is to them that perish foolishness, a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence. Natural man is tolerant of and even likes natural religion. Any religion that bases salvation upon man’s freewill, good works, or religious ceremonies is acceptable to him. But he will not tolerate the gospel of God’s free and sovereign grace in Christ (Galatians 5:11).

All who faithfully confess Christ to men will have to endure the wrath of men (Matthew 10:16-39). All who preach the gospel in purity, without compromise will pay a price for doing so (Galatians 1:10-12). The second lesson is equally obvious: GOD’S RULE OF THIS WORLD WORKS ALL THINGS FOR THE GOOD OF HIS ELECT (Romans 8:28). The Jews’ persecution was as much the work of God’s providence for Paul as the benevolence of Aquila and Priscilla. It became evident to Paul that his work at Corinth was done. He did not flee for fear of the Jews; but he saw their persecution as an indication that God would have him move on to another place.

When God thwarted the Jews’ plans, he confirmed his promise to Paul (Acts 18:10). This beating of Sosthenes was one of the things God used to bring him to Christ (1 Corinthians 1:1). THE (Acts 18:18-23) - It is highly improbable that Paul took a Jewish vow and shaved his head (Acts 18:18). The one Luke refers to as having taken a vow was Aquila. Paul, above all men, cast aside all Jewish laws, ceremonies, and rituals (Colossians 2:16-23). He might for expediency have Timothy circumcised, but he would never have taken a vow and shaved his head in pledge of it. Not Paul! Acts 18:19 - When he came to Ephesus, where he had left Aquila and Priscilla, Paul went again into the synagogue to reason with the Jews. So great was his compassion for his kinsmen that he could not let them perish without preaching Christ to them (Romans 10:1-2). Acts 18:20-21 - The Apostle was determined to go up to Jerusalem, not to keep the Jewish feast, but to be there during the Passover because there he would have opportunity to preach the gospel to many. Recognizing and submitting to God’s providence, he made all his plans and commitments with one condition - “If God will” (James 4:13-15). Acts 18:22-23 - Young believers, like young plants, need much care. Paul tenderly cared for and ministered to the needs of these young churches and young saints. He travelled alone for hundreds of miles, at his own expense, to preach the gospel to the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles and for the comfort and edification of God’s saints (Ephesians 4:11-16). THE (Acts 18:24-28) - While Paul was away Apollos came to Ephesus, preaching the gospel of Christ (Acts 18:24). Born in Alexandria in Egypt, he was a man of exceptional gifts. He was “an eloquent man,” rational, prudent, well-educated, and influential in speech. He was “mighty in the scriptures”. That is to say, he was greatly gifted of God in understanding and explaining the Old Testament Scripture in the light of Christ’s Person and work. Acts 18:25 - Apollos was taught in the way of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). He zealously promoted the glory of God and sought the salvation of his people (Romans 12:11). Yet, he knew only the message and doctrine of John the Baptist: repentance toward God and the remission of sins by Christ, the Lamb of God (Matthew 3:1-2; John 1:29). He knew nothing of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the mighty works of God through the Apostles. His doctrine was true, gospel doctrine, but Apollos had not been instructed in those things which had been revealed since the time of John the Baptist. Acts 18:26 - Aquila and Priscilla invited Apollos to their house and privately instructed him more fully in the gospel. Priscilla assisted her husband in the teaching of Apollos privately in her own house, not publicly in the church. As a godly woman, she behaved with meekness (1 Peter 3:1-2). It is contrary to both Scripture and modesty for a woman to publicly reprove or instruct a man (1 Timothy 2:11-12; 1 Corinthians 14:34). Acts 18:27 - The believers at Ephesus sent a letter to the church at Corinth, recommending Apollos to them as an able gospel preacher. When he arrived there, he was an instrument in the hands of God for much spiritual good to the brethren who “had believed through grace.” Faith in Christ is not the work of man’s freewill, but of God’s free grace (Ephesians 2:8; Colossians 2:12; Philippians 1:29). Acts 18:28 - Being taught of God, Apollos was a mighty and convincing teacher. In the face of much opposition, he proved by the Old Testament scriptures “that Jesus is the Christ,” the sent One of God, the Savior of the world (1 John 4:1-4).